"Everything he does, he does with a smile." Marin Čilić's agent Vincent Stavaux, interviewed by @franckramella in l'…quipe on why we should like him.

Tell us why we should like Marin Čilić?

"People need to find out who he really is. He's atypical on the tour. His natural kindness, not false, his amenability, his availability are to me exceptional. Everyone says: "Yes, but he lacks charisma and that sort of thing", but as soon as they meet him, they change their minds about him. We had a meeting here (in Marseille) with seniors, they were astonished by his kindness. He spoke to them in French, they were touched. And every tournament director will tell you: "Marin Čilić is special because everything he does he does with a smile." He's available when that's not always the case. He plays the game and never shows up just for the appearance money. In Rotterdam, he asked me Saturday morning, because he lacked a bit of confidence: "You believe in going to Marseille? I don't want to go there if I won't do well." I swear he said that!"

But he's not mentioned much - not by the media either -, while attention is paid more easily to the more extroverted ones ...

"To me, that's an excellent societal question. Everyone screams about and spits on the paparazzi and the sensationalist tabloids, but they have readers. It's a bit the same here. I have trouble understanding that, in relation to Marin, people prefer watching Kyrgios who throws his racquet and spits, though I have nothing against him. But hearing that sort of thing is problematic. Because what? For tennis to be fun you have to insult the umpires? Shout "fuck" everywhere? Watching a Roger at the top of his art entertaining the crowd, that's tennis to me. Not smashing racquets or whatever .. That's hypocritical."

Do you think we push too much for excess while constantly complaining that the sport is too policed?

"Stop! If people don't want to watch that sort of tennis, they can watch another sport. I'm against all rules that that make the game colourless under the pretext of making it more pleasant for the majority of people."

How do you fight for Čilić's existence in that world?

"What's a shame is that sponsor brands look strongly for that. Either you're right at the top or you're outrageous. But if you're in the category of player like Tomas Berdych, David Ferrer or Marin Čilić, you're nothing.Every time. They hide behind excuses like: "He's from Croatia, it's not a market." It's a very small argument."

Go ahead. We're giving you the chance to sell us Čilić ...

"His generosity. I think Marin Čilić is Pat Rafter's successor in the sense that he does a lot of things for a lot of people. He helps without talking about it. I was astonished when I found out years after that Rafter had built a hospital from the ground up with his own money. Marin gets involved, gives quite a lot to foundations. If people only knew what a big heart he has ..."

"I was very surprised with Novak (Djokovic). He stepped up for me ... I think rarely you'll see someone at the top of any sport expose themselves like he did. I'll be very grateful to him for the rest of my life for the ... way he supported me."

Q. Congrats. You have won a lot of titles. How important is this title for you?

MC: It is for sure important. After winning such a big tournament as a Grand Slam you have a lot of emotions and itís important to bounce back and keep going. I feel this is going to be really good push for my career. All the titles are special but this one will definitely have an important spot. It is important for my progress further.

Q. What are you going associate this tournament with?

MC: I will associate it with different feelings on the court. Again, after winning big titles players are very motivated to play better and they are playing more [risky]. I felt also that this week I had a lot of tough matches and I was able to stay in the battle and bring on my best tennis. That is what I will associate it with.

Q. What made the difference in particular today? Did you serve as in your quarterfinals as you mentioned yesterday you should find your serve again.

MC: The serve was a little bit better than in the semifinals. Overall I still didnít serve as in the quarterfinals. I wasnít able to hit big bounce. And I played more in combinations and playing a little bit better from the baseline. We had many rallies and it was as I expected. It was a tough match. [Ö] In the first set we had tough games and I think overall what made the difference is just a couple of points that could have beenÖIf one point went to his sideÖIt could be much more complicated. I was very focused mentally to stay in the game.

Q. It seems that the lighting system was a little bit brighter today than the other days. Did you notice it?

MC: I didnít think about it. Indoors itís always different. But all the week it was pretty much ok. Sometimes you can lose the ball when [your opponent] is serving. But overall it was ok. It was a good entertainment for the crowd.

Q. Martina Hingis said she was happy it was cold in Moscow. How do you like the cold?

MC: Not so happy. (laughing) But I think it was some sunshine today, it was nice.

Q. You won two titles indoors. How do you evaluate your chances for the rest of the season indoors?

MC: I had really good indoor season this year. I also played a final in Rotterdam. This is for sure my favorite surface to play on. Itís going to be interesting. Next week I have a week off and then I will be preparing for Bercy. Itís two very big tournaments coming up for me. Bercy and London. I have to be motivated to do well.

Press conference with Marin Cilic after his semifinal against Mihail Kukushkin (Moscow).

Q. Congrats. You played Kukushkin in 2008 in Saint Petersburg. What can you say about todayís match?

MC: It was a long time ago and itís difficult to remember anything expect the score. Today I knew it was going to be a difficult match. It was difficult both of us. We played on a really high level. I donít know if I saw him playing that good. I felt he was hitting the ball good. I wasnít serving as well as yesterday. Overall I felt the battle on the court was extremely tough.

Q. Was there something particular you changed after the first set?

MC: Even in the first set I played very well. I had I believe 8 break points I didnít convert. I lost my serve in the beginning of the second [set]. I just had to find what was not working well. [Ö] I tired to extend the points to make it more physical trying to look for different openings in the game. Overall I didnít try to change too much. He had many opportunities and he converted them. You have to stick to your game and thatís what I did.

Q. Do you feel comfortable to play that late?

MC: I am used to it now. (laughing) In these last two days Iíve been playing late. Everything I was doing I was doing later in the day. Tomorrow it will be earlier for me and for you [press conference was held at 23.30], for everybody. No, nothing in particular. I adapt fine. I lost in Shanghai pretty early and arrived here on Saturday and played here on Wednesday. It was perfect enough.

Q. Did you except so many people in the crowd will be cheering up for you?

MC: I didnít actually think about that. But during the week I had a lot of support from the crowd because, of course, winning the US Open. I think he also had a good support. We played both good tennis so it was entertaining for the crowd.

Q. How are you going to approach the final?

MC: The last time I played Bautista Agut was in 2002 and Ďunder 14í so it will be very interesting. We are good friends. He had a great year and he improved a lot for sure. For me itís going to be important trying to keep the game like today and trying to serve like yesterday. I fell like indoors I am playing good tennis and I am relying a lot on my serve. That is going to be one of the keys tomorrow as Bautista is a great player from the baseline and he doesnít miss almost at all and it is going to be a difficult battle I guess.

Q. What music do you enjoy listening to before a match?

MC: Iím listening mostly to Croatian radios. International songs: American hits, UK hits and nothing special, hits around the world.

Q. Bautista spent less time overall versus you. He also finished earlier here. Will it give him an advantage over you?

MC: No. I donít think. It will be just different for me to start earlier. But no, I am physically feeling good. It was a tough match today but I am going to be ready for tomorrow, it wonít be a problem.

It was a great celebration in Međugorje and couple of singers came, one of them a patriotic singer Thompson, who said he was personally invited by Cilic and his family.
"Kurir" claims that Marin said that he is "sorry he came and it was too late to stop it". Tonight Cilic's father said he spoke to Marin and that they invented the interview. Not surprising at all considering from whom the "interview" came in the first place.

Really low from Marin if this is true. He should have told those sickos to go to hell instead of saying what he probably doesn't think. There is a big difference between being a nice fella like he is and being a pussy, which he turned into in this interview if these are the exact words he spoke.

Really low from Marin if this is true. He should have told those sickos to go to hell instead of saying what he probably doesn't think. There is a big difference between being a nice fella like he is and being a pussy, which he turned into in this interview if these are the exact words he spoke.